Continuous inductive train-control system



March 3, 1931. w. D. HAILES CONTINUOUS INDUCTIVE TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMFiled July 20. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Mar. 3, 1931 CONTINUOUSINDUCTIVE Application filed. July 20,

' of codes such, for example, as disclosed in the Hailes application228,058, filed October 22, 1927, andentitled Continuous train controlsystems.

In train control systems of the character is referred to above,car-carried apparatus is employed which is inductively affected by codedtrain control current in the track rails to set up distinctive cabsignals in accordance with the particular code applied to the trackrails. The codes comprise alternate applications of current to the trackrails and re moval of such current from the track rails, and these codesare primarily differentiated by the number of separate applications of29 energy per unit of time.

t is obvious that it is possible, due to vibrating grounds, or brokenwires, either on the trackway or on the car, that a code might be set upregardless of traffic conditions so as to cause the system to'show afavorable indication. For example, under danger conditions, when no codeshould be applied to the track rails, such a vibrating ground might setup a code rapid enough to cause a green,

or proceed, indication in the cab.

With the above and other considerations in mind, it is proposed, inaccordance with this invention, to provide a code cont-rolled equipmentwhich distinctively responds to rate type codes, and at the same time isprotected against showing false favorable indications, particularly aproceed indication, in response to codes due, for example, to vibratinggrounds or broken wires or the like.

More specifically, it is proposed to provide means requiring relativelyprolonged interruption of application of train control current to thetrack rails, at frequent intervals, for the car-carried apparatus toselectively respond to the code for setting up favorable cabindications. The car-carried apparatus i so arrangedthat the failure ofthis prolonged removal of current, or blank, intermittently occurring inthe code, results either in a R or stop indication, or in a dark signal,

TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM 1929. Serial No. 379,639. g 7 even though the coderate be fast enough to normallyfset up a proceed indicationl;

A slnnlarproblem, is solvedin. connection with cyclic or pattern orcountin types of decoding means, in the l-lailes application,

Ser. No. 379,638, filed of even dateherewith, and entitled Continuousinductive train control systems.

WILLIAM D. HAILES, OF ROCHESTER, NEWYORK, AS SIG1\TOR GENERAL RAILWA 1SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW-YORK Further objects, purposes andcharacteris tic features will appear as the description progresses,reference being made to the 510- I companying drawing showing, solely byway of example, and in no manner in a limiting sense, one form .whichthe invention can assume. In the drawing:

is a diagrammatic view of one form of car-carried apparatus embodyingthepres ent invention. 7 f Fig. 2 is diagrammatic view showing a numberof codes which can be employed in a connection with the apparatus ofFig. 1,.together with a showing of how the apparatus responds to theproceed or G code.

F 3 is a diagrammatic view of a'frebe produced by a quency code, such asmight vibrating ground, andflshows how the apparatus is immune to such acode, to avoidsetting up a favorable indication.

Referring now to the drawing, and first to Fig. 1, in which theapparatus is shown in the condition assumed under stop conditions, whenno train control current is on the track rails, and the R, or stopindication is displayed in the cab, there is here shown a stretch oftrack constituted bytrackrails 1, on which is a train as indicated bythe wheels and axle 10. The train carries in advance of the foremostwheels and axle,receivingcoils 12, positioned to be inductively affectedby currents circulating inthe'rails 1. The receiving coils 12 areconnected up in series, together with a tuning condenser 13 and theprimary of a transformer 14, the secondary of transformer 14 beingconnected in series with a tuning condenser 16 and the primary of atransformer 15.. The secondary of transformer 15 is connected to theinput side of an amplifier A, with the output side of amplifier Aconnected to a coding primary relay, CPR, having contact fingers 40 and41.

The apparatus just described, and much of he apparatus still to bedescribed, with the exception of the decoding means, substanrentbeingapplied and removedin accordance with chosen codes, such as G, Y/G,Y and R as shown in Fig. 2, by any usual or desired coding means, as inapplication Ser. No. 228,058, located along the wayside.

Included in the decoder of this invention is a bank of relays includingR having a contact finger 42, which is quick to pick up i but has arelease'time of approximately 4 seconds; a relay R having contactfingers 43 and 44, which is quick to pick; up but has a release time ofapproximately .5 seconds; a relay R with contact fingers 45 and 46; arelay R having contact fingers 47, 48 and 49, and a relay R havingcontact fingers 50, 51 and 52, the relays R -l% each being quick to pickup and each having a release time of approximately 2 seconds.

The contact finger 40, of relay CPR which follows the code, operates toput energy on one-half of the primary of av transformer T, when pickedup, and to likewise energize the other half of the primary oftransformer T, in a reverse direction, on release, there be a condenser53 connected across the primary of transformer'T. This operation resultsin transferring energy to the secondary of transformer T on each make,and each break, of contact by finger 40 of relay CPR.

The relays It -R are each connected across a different number of turnsof the secondary of transformer T, through a tuned circuit including adouble wave rectifier whereby toenergize each relay with uni-directional current, and to permit ready flow of energy only at a certainfrequency, namely the frequency for which each relay input circuit istuned to resonate. For example, relay is connected across the out-putside of a rectifier R665, the input side of which rectifier is connectedacross tr e secondary of an autotransformer T the primary of whichtransformer is connected in series with a tuning condenser C, a. numberof turns of the secondary of transformer T, and contact finger 44 andfront point of relay R In a like manner, relays R and R are energizedthrough like tuned circuits, corresponding reference characters with.distinctive exponents being employed to identify the current ha corc ingto which spaced impulses of current are placed on the track rails 1 atthe rate of 180 per minute for the G code, at the rate of 120 per minutefor the Y/G code, and at the of per minute for the Y code. As indicatedin 2, stop, or B is given by current either steady on, or steady off.

Thus the G code corresponds to three cycles J! or alternatingcurrent persecond, the Y/G code two c cles of alternatlng current per second, andthe Y code to one and one third cycles of alternating current persecond. he circuit for relay B is tuned to resonance at. a frequency ofthree cycles per second and the circuit for relay is tuned to aresonance at a frequency of two cycles per second, while uit for relay Ris not tuned to any 7 .a: frequency but allowspassage of part-1c:

g a frequency of any of the various es. in this manner the Geode causesenergy from the secondary of transformer T to pick up relay R and also Rbut not relay lt The Y/G code operates to pick up relays 1 ll, but notrelay It. The Y code es 0 pick up relay but not relays R up relaythrough a circuit obvious in the dr ing, while relay R is energizedthrough a circuit including; contact finger 43 and back point of relay Rand upon once being picked up, holds up for approximately four secondsafter its circuit is opened.

The various relays ld lt" just described operate through their variouscontact fingers to place energy, at any one time, on but one of thewires 9, iy/g, y and 1", depending on the particular code beingreceived. If the G code, that is, the 180 per minute rate code, is beingreceived, energy is placed on the 9 wire and likewise for the othercodes, energy being placed on the r wire when no code is being plied buttrain control current is either steady on or steady off. I

The various codes used in connection with. the decoder described above,are rate codes, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2, but theserats codes include intermittent off or blank periods of relatively longduration, for example, .8 seconds in the particular case chosen. It isnecessary, that a rate code include these long blank periods at frequentintervals, in order that the decoder of this invention properly respond.

. This clear when we consider that energy for the wires 9, y/g and ymust all pass through contact finger 42 and front point of relay R andthat it is necessary, for relay R to be up, that at least every fourseconds ickingup of contact linger 41 of mary relay CPR operates to pickevery four seconds in the particular example chosen, or otherwise relayR releases to take energy of? of all the favorable indication wires, andplace it on wire 7* either. to give an R or stop indication, or to leavethe entire cab signal de-energized, dependent upon the then conditionsof relays R andR. Thatis,

rate code having no prolonged blank, but of such a rate as to pick upeither of the relays R or B results in R down andR or R or both up, tocut energy off of all the wires gr and leave the cab signal dark. If,however,

the codebe of such a rate as to leave R and R down, the It or stopindication is displayed.

Considering now a specific example, when the proceed, or'G code isplaced on the track rails 1, primary relay CPR picks up and re leases inaccordance with the code to place three cycle frequency current on thesecond ary of transformer T and operate to pick up relays R and R, butnotto pick up relay R Before the G code was started, relay R was down tothereby energize relay R and since the sending time, 3.0 seconds in thepresent case, is less than the four second release time for relay Rbefore it can release, a blank period occurs, (in the present case .8seconds) long enough to drop relay R and thus re-energize relay R tohold relay R continuu 3 ously. It should be noted that the release timesfor the relays R R is long enough to 'at least cover the blank portionsof'thecodes,

so as to prevent their releasing.

In this manner, the G code, as shown in Fig. 2, which is in effect anintermittent rate type code, results in relays R R and R being picked upand maintained picked up all the time the code is being transmitted, tothereby place energy continuously on the 9 wire through a circuitincluding, contact finger 42 and front point of relay R contact finger45 and front point of relay R contact finger 47 and back point of R andcontact finger 50 and front point of relay B In a like manner, whentheY/Gr, or approach restricting code, having a rate of 120 cycles perminute, i. e. 2 cycles per second, i

applied, relays R and R are picked up and held up, but relay R is notenergized and so releases, whereby to place energy on the i /g wirethrough a circuit including contact finger 42 and front point, contactfinger 45 and front point,contaot finger 50 and back point, and contactfinger 47 and front point.

A similar operation in connection with the caution, or Y, code, placesenergy on the g wire through a front point B and R and a back point of Rand R When no code is being applied to the track rails there is normallyno current'of: train control frequency on the rails, and this'oper atesto place energy on the r wire to set up a stop indication in the cab,since, with no energy being received by the receivers 12,'alloftherelays R R are de-t-mergized. Also, if.

current is steadily applied to the rails 1, relay CPR is held steadilyup, to de-energize allof the decoding relays except R which againresults in completing the clrcuit for placing energy on the wire T,which circuit includes contact fingers 42, 49 and 52 and theirrespectire back points, of relays R R an'd R Referring now to Fig. 3,should a'rate type code he accidentally applied to the trackrails,

or appliedto the primary relayCPR, as for czrrample by a vibratingground or broken wire or in any other manner, energy of a'par ticnlarfrequency, depending on the ratelof the accidentally produced code,willbe cap:

plied to the secondary of transformer. T and may operate relays R 'R totemporarily ap- P17) ener y t0 any one of th wi 97 In the absence of ablank, however, such hypothetical code under consideration, after i ashort time,'such as 4 seconds, relay R will release, and since relay Rwillv be held up continuously, relay R will, stay down to thereby makeit impossible to put energy on any of the favorable indication wires 9,y/g and 1 As a result, such a code as just considered, will set upeither a dark signal in the cab, or an R signal, depending on thecondition of'relays R and R. If the frequency of the code in question isfast enough to pick up either R or R as is true in Fig; 3, a dark cabsignal results, whereas if it is so slow as to not pick up either It orR thgn a stop or R indication is set up in the ca In the above manner,it is clearly to be seen how a rate type decoder is provided whichisimmune from responding to rate type codes lacking'intermittent extendedblanks, to set up favorable indications, and since an accidentallyproduced rate type code is conceivable, but the accidental production ofa rate type code including intermittent extended blanks, such as showninFig. 2,is inconceivable, provision has been made, to the'highest degree,against accidental operation of the decoder. v

Themanner'in. which a rate type code "of for example 180 applicationsper mmute,

conceivably producable by a vibrating ground or broken. wire or thelike, is incapable of operating the decoder described above, is setforth graphicallyin Fig. 3, and is believed self-explanatory. 1 a i r Inthe above discussion, it has 'been'shown how the decoder operates, inaccordance with various codes, to selectively respond and place energyon one only of the wires 9 etc.

These-wires can, if desired, be directly connected to a cab signal, butit is preferable that there-be inserted before the cab signal, group ofrelays constituting a delay means,

a group of relays constituting an acl I i doing group, together ithacknowl r g d reset contactors, brake apply ng *1. GPV, and audiblesignal means All 1 V,

for advising that acknowledgment should be performed, all disclosed inthe Hailes application 228,058 above referred to.

The delay group of relays, includes a relay GR, energized through the 9wire, a relay Y/G+R energized through the y/g wire, a relay YR,energized over the y wire, and a relay RR, energized over the 1" wire,each of these relays receiving its energy through a back point of eachof the other relays of the group whereby to permit energization of onlyone relay of this grcup at any one time.

brake application if performed in due time.

If acknowledgment is not properly performed, an automatic brakeapplication results and it is then necessary to bring the train to afull stop in order to operate a reset device Res, which is accessibleonly from the ground, for permitting release of the brakes andresumption of progress.

A detailed description of the operation of the delay group of relays, ofthe acknowledginggroup of relays, and of the brake applying means andreset means is believed wholly unnecessary in this application, since Iit 1s substantially identical with the Hailes applica ion 228,058 abovereferred to, and is not necessary for a complete understanding of thepresent invention.

The various times for release chosen for the decoding relays, and otherrelays, in this invention can of course be varied to any extent desired,as can likewise be varied the rates of the various codes to be employedtherewith, it being merely necessary that the various times chosen beproper for satisfactory cooperationbetween the applied codes and thedecoding and secondary means employed for responding to the codes andsetting up proper cab indications, brake controls etc. In-other words,the particular times of the various codes and relays in this inventionare given merely by way of example, and are not to be considered, in anymanner, a limltatlon.

The above rather spec1fic description of one form of system embodyingthe present invention, has been given solely by way of illustration, andis not intended, in any manner whatsoever, in a limiting sense.Obviously, this invention can assume many different physical forms, andis susceptible of numerous modifications and all such forms andmodifications are desired to be included'by this invention, as comewithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I now claim 1. In a coded continuoustrain control system, in combination with a receiver for receiving codedenergy and secondary circuits for controls of varying restrictiveness, adecoder connected between said receiver and secondary circuits, andresponsive to various frequency codesin a selective manner which isdependent upon the number of separate impul es of energy per unit oftime in the Clifferent codes, to selectively'set up said con trols, andmeans in said decoder for preventing it setting up a favorableindication in reto code unless such cone is intermittently interruptedfor a relatively long time interval.

2. In a coded train control system, in combination with a receiver forcoded energy and secondary circuits for controls of varyingrestrictiveness, a decoder connected between said receiver and secondarycircuits, and responsive to various frequency codes in a selec tivemanner, dependent upon the number of separate impulses of energy perunit of time in the different codes, to selectively set up saidcontrols, and means in said decoder for preventing it setting up afavorable indication in response to code unless such code isintermittently interrupted by a blank orcurrent-o1? period for arelatively long time interval.

V 3. In a coded train control system, in combination with a receiver forcoded energy and secondary circuits for controls of varyingrestrictiveness, a relay decoder connected between said receiver andsecondary circuits, and responsive to various frequency codes in aselective manner, dependent upon the number of separate impulses ofenergy per unit of time in the different codes, to selectively set upsaid controls, and relay means insaid decoder for preventing the decodersetting up a favorable indication in response to code unless such codeis intermittently interrupted by a blank or current-off period ofconsiderable length. 7

4. In a coded continuous train control system, in combination with areceiver for coded energy, and secondary circuits for controls ofvarying res rictiveness, a decoder connected between said receiver andsecondary circuits, and responsive to various frequency codes in aselective manner, dependent upon the number of separate impulses ofenergy per unit of time in the different codes, to selectively set upsaid controls, and monitor relay means in said decoder which by con-vtrolling energy supply to said secondary circuits prevents the decodersetting up a favorable indication in response to code unless such codeis intermittently interrupted for a time interval which is longrelatively to the spaces between the said separate impulses.

5. In a coded continuous train control system, in combination with areceiver for coded energy, and secondary circuits for con-.

trols of varying restrictiveness, a decoder connected between saidreceiver and. secondary circuits, and capable of distinguishing betweenvarious frequency codes in a selective manner, dependent upon the numberof separate impulses of energy per unit of time in the different codes,to selectively set up said controls, and monitor relay means in saiddecoder controlling energy supply to said secondary circuits for thuspreventing the decoder setting up a favorable indication in response tocode unless such code is intermittently interrupted for a considerabletime interval, said monitor relay means having a front and a back pointand controlling the secondary circuit for the most restrictiveindication through-one of its points, and the other secondary circuitsthrough its other point.

6. In a coded continuous train control system, in combination with areceiver for coded energy, and secondary circuits for controls ofvarying restrictiveness, a decoder connected between said receiver andsecondary circuits, and responsive to various frequency codes in aselective manner, dependent upon the number of separate impulses ofenergy per unit of time in the different codes, to selectively set upsaid controls, and monitor relay means in said decoder for controllingenergy supply to said secondary circuit for preventing the decodersetting'up a favorable indication in response to code unless such codeis intermittently interrupted for a time interval relatively longcompared to the normal spacing between said impulses, said monitor relaymeans having a front and a back point and controlling the secondarycircuit for the most restrictive indication through its back point, andthe other second ary circuits through its front point.

7. A decoder for coded continuous train control systems which includes.receiving means and a primary relay for controlling the decoder, andsecondary circuits controlled by the decoder, said decoder including aplurality of decoding relays selectively responsive to rate type codesto selectively control said secondary circuits, and a monioscoder,saiddecoder. including a plurality Gf'ifix ding relays some of whichhave variously tuned energizing I circuits, seleciively responsive torate type codes to selectively control said 'secondary circuits, and a nto each of said secondary circuits andhaving an energizing circuitcontrolled by a -decodingrela 9. A. decoder for coded continuous traincontrol systems including receiving. means for controlling thedecoderand secondary circuits controlled by the decoder, said decoderincluding a plurality of decoding'rela s, some of which have varously-tuned energizing circuits, selectively 'responsive to rate typecodes to selectively control said secondary circuits and a'monitor relayfor controlllng energy supply through a front point to each ofthe'lesser restrictive ofv said secondary circuits and havlng anenergizing circuit controlled by a front point of a decoding relayhaving a release time long enough to bridge over the normal spacesbetween successive code impulses.

10, A decoder for coded continuous train control systems, including, apri'maryrelay connected to successively pick up and release to (busfollow a code being received, a controlrelay directly energized througha finger of the primary relay,'and a plurality of relays havingvariously tuned energizing circuits controlled by the primary relay tothereby variously respond to different codes to selectively set upcontrol circuits of varying restrictiveness, and a monitor relayenergized through a circuit controlled by said control relay and in turncontrolling energy supply to said control circuits.

11. A decoder for coded. continuous train control systems, including, aprimary relay connected to successively pick up and release to thusfollow a code being received, a control relay directly energized throughe a plurality of relays having variously tuned energizing circuitscontrolled bythe primary relay, to thereby variously respond to different codes to selectively at up control circuits of varyingrestrictiveness, and a monitor relay energized through a circuitcontrolled by a front point of said control relay and in turncontrolling energy supply to the most restrictive of through a backpoint, and through a front point controlling the other of said controlcircuits.

cuit controlled by a decoding and secondary circuits controlled by orrelay for controlling energy supply r and front point of the primaryrelay, and

said control circuits 12. A decoder for codedcontinuous train controlsystems, including, a primary relay' connected to successively pick up"and release to thus follow a code being re ceived, a control relaydirectly energized through a finger of the primary relay, and aplurality of relays having variously tuned energizing circuitscontrolled by the primary relay, to thereby variously respond todifierent'codes to selectively set up control circuits er varyingrestrictiveness, and a slow release monitor relay energized through acircuit controlled by a back point of said conirol relay endin. turncontrolling energy supply to said control circuits.

13. A decoder comprising a plurality of nter-related relays arranged toset up, and to energize secondary control circuits for controllingindications of various restrictiveness, said relays being arranged toselectively distinguish between the rate of application of spaced energyimpulses constituting the codes, to selectively set up and energize thecontrol circuits and means included by the decoder for preventing theenergization of a set-up control circuit other than the mostrestrictive, unless the code be intermittently interrupted for periodsof time long relatively to the spaces between said energy impluses.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM n. HAILES.

